CHAPTER 8: Enlightenment

 

CHAPTER 8: Enlightenment

 

The explanation of the fifth vajra point is similar in structure to the outline of the chapter on buddha nature. There will be a summary of eight points concerning enlightenment and then each of these points will be presented in greater detail.

Characteristics of Enlightenment

[168] One has to enter the path that leads to enlightenment and when this path reaches completion, one achieves Buddhahood.

-The first point is the nature of enlightenment which is purity because no obscurations are left.
-The second point is that on the path one studies, reflects, an practices meditation and when these practices have sufficiently developed, one achieves Buddhahood.
-The third point is once one is completely free from obscurations, one is free from anything to be relinquished.
-The fourth point is called function and this is to create the best possible outcome for oneself and others. Reaching enlightenment is the best possible outcome because one will never have to return to samsara and suffer again. This is of great value to others because it will help an incalculable number of other beings reach the same state.
-The fifth point describes the various qualities which are the basis for the twofold realization that leads to enlightenment.
-The sixth point is the way in which enlightenment manifests through the qualities of depth, vastness, and greatness of nature which are related to the three kayas. Depth relates to the dharmakaya which represents the true nature of all phenomena. Vastness relates to the sambhogakaya because it can act in a great variety of ways. Greatness of nature relates to the nirmanakaya because this is by "attire very pure and works to help beings.
-The seventh point describes enlightenment in terms of how long this activity goes on. The last point refers to the actual nature of phenomena which relates to its inconceivability.

[169] Each of these aspects is defined through the various facets they represent. Purity represents the nature of enlightenment; achievement represents the result of the path; freedom from all impurities represents the fruition of the path. Value for oneself and others represents the function of enlightenment. The basis for the twofold value are all the qualities present at enlightenment. The depth, vastness, and greatness of nature refer to the dharmakaya, sambhogakaya and nirmanakaya respectively and the way in which these kayas manifest. The duration of these kayas represents permanence. The actual nature is defined as being inconceivable.

Nature and Cause of Enlightenment

[170] The nature of enlightenment represents purity and the cause of enlightenment are the conditions necessary to achieve enlightenment. Buddha essence is by nature clear light (Tib. osel) which means that by nature it is completely pure. Even for ordinary beings buddha nature is pure in nature. When it manifests at enlightenment, it is free from incidental stains by the four particularities.

The first three particularities refer to the nature of enlightenment and the fourth to a causal condition for enlightenment. The first particularity is lucid clarity and is compared to the sun. The sun refers to the essence, and sky refers to the nature. This example of sun and space refers to the two facets of enlightenment. The sun refers to knowledge and sky refers to purity from all obscurations. This is parallel to the Tibetan word for the Buddha which is sang gay. Sang means “completely pure” referring to the purity aspect, while gay means “awakened” from the sleep of ignorance referring to the realization aspect.

The second particularity is purity which literally means “having relinquished all impurities.” The emotional and cognitive obscurations are compared to clouds covering the sun. The third particularity is possession of Buddha qualities. The Buddha has all the qualities of freedom and the qualities of maturity which are not temporary, but eternal and unchanging. When one reaches Buddhahood there is a causal condition of both the nonconceptual and analytical jnana to make achievement possible. When Buddhahood is achieved, one has the knowledge of how-it-is (nonconceptual jnana) and variety(analytical jnana). At the level of a bodhisattva these two jnanas are already present and working but become fully developed in Buddhahood. The nonconceptual jnana functions during meditation when one obtains direct insight into the true nature of phenomena. Analytical jnana functions during post-meditation when one learns about the great variety of relative phenomena. By means of these two aspects of jnana Buddhahood is achieved. In more detail:

[171] The first particularity concerns the nature of enlightenment. Previously, this point was compared to the sun and sky with the sun representing the clarity of jnana and the sky representing the purity that comes from relinquishing all incidental impurities. Buddhahood is indivisible which means that it cannot be separated from the buddha nature. It is also perfectly pure, having the purity of nature and the purity of complete elimination of impurities. So this jnana is like the sun and this freedom from impurities is like space.

[172] The second point is that the qualities are inseparable from each other. It is said that the clear light is uncreated and the buddha essence is by nature clarity so this clarity is inherent. This clarity pervades all beings without any differentiation and these good qualities are greater than the number of grains of sand in the river Ganges.

[173] Third, although impurities are actually nonexistent (void), they are present in ordinary beings like clouds covering the sun. Clouds appearing in the sky do not belong to the nature of the sky, but are only incidental to it.Similarly, the tarnish on a piece of gold is not part of the gold; but something that can be removed because it isn’t an intrinsic part of its nature.

Because these impurities are not part of buddha nature, they can be removed. These impurities are defined as nonexistent, spreading everywhere, and being incidental. Similarly, clouds represent the two obscurations veiling buddha essence; when they are removed Buddhahood manifests in its full purity.

[174] The fourth point is that these obscurations can be removed by means of the two jnanas. The manifestation of buddha nature is similar to when the clouds have been removed, the sun is visible again. The emotional obscurations are hiding the liberation aspect and the cognitive obscurations are hiding the omniscient aspect of Buddhahood. These two jnanas of how-it-is and variety manifest gradually until they are fully matured to enlightenment. Knowledge of how-it-is develops from non-conceptual meditation on the nature of all phenomena understanding their void nature.

Post-meditation allows the jnana of variety to manifest showing what is relevant at the relative level (called the “vast” aspect of phenomena) and what belongs to the ultimate level (called the “deep” aspect of phenomena). This dispels the cognitive obscurations. So on the development of the path these two qualities become manifest so that the obscurations can be removed and Buddhahood can manifest.

3. Fruition of Enlightenment

There are two logical ways fruition of enlightenment can occur. It can be created by something else or it can be the result of removing a covering. In the Uttara Tantra it says purification occurs by removing obscurations. If the qualities of the Buddha were acquired instead, they would be composite in nature and subject to change. However, they are originally present in the mind of a!' beings and therefore can’t be acquired.

[175] Freedom from the klesa of desire is compared to the simile of a lake covered by lotuses. Freedom from anger uses the simile of the moon freed from being eaten by Rahu (Rahu is a symbol for an eclipse). Freedom from ignorance uses the simile of the sun and clouds.

[176] The nine examples of the previous chapter are, first of all, given to illustrate that Buddhahood is like the body of the Buddha, honey can be used after being taken away from the bees, kernels of the grains can be eaten once the husk has been removed, etc. In more detail:

[177] The purity achieved by nonconceptual and post-meditation jnana is the fruition of purification from emotional obscurations. This is described with three examples of a lake overgrown with lotuses, an eclipse, and clouds hiding the sun. When these are removed, one can see the pure waters of the lake, the full moon, and the sun respectively. In the same way, when the defilements are removed, one can see the buddha essence clearly without any emotional obscurations. Non-conceptual jnana, which is the direct realization of the true nature of phenomena, makes it possible to remove these emotional obscurations. This jnana has no concept of how things are; it just perceives phenomena just as they are.

[178] When the cognitive obscurations are removed, one can achieve the supremely endowed buddha kayas. They are removed through the post-meditation jnana which perceives all phenomena in all their variety without confusion. So during m editation, one sees the true nonexistent character of everything directly and during post-meditation one sees the great variety of illusions in which beings are im m ersed. This particular post-meditation jfiana will erase the cognitive obscurations so that all the buddha kayas can manifest.

[179] The next point shows how the fruition of Buddhahood is free from the three poisons. In the example of the lake, persons are compared to lotuses and these “lotuses” are made pure from the silt of desire by the pure waters of meditation.

[ 180] The second example is of the moon obscured by an eclipse. Normally, the moon’s light is very bright, cooling, and soothing. During an eclipse it becomes reddish, then black, and is no longer beautiful and bright. Similarly, there is a very strong change that takes place when somebody is under the influence of anger. A very peaceful and loving person turns into an unkind person and develops the wish to hurt others when under the influence of anger. So this anger eclipses his natural good qualities. When someone is liberated from anger, it is like the full moon coming out of an eclipse.

[181] The third exam ple com pares freedom from ignorance to clouds before the sun. Ignorance doesn’t exactly take the same form as other types of emotional instability. It isn’t a violent feeling one has with anger or desire. It is more like an undertone, like something that’s there all the time. Living in ignorance also doesn’t bring much obvious suffering. Similarly, when clouds obscure the sun, the sun cannot perform its function of making flowers grow and crops ripen. In the same way, when one is obscured by ignorance, the light of prajna and jnana cannot shine and these qualities cannot develop to their fullness. W hen someone, however, is liberated from ignorance, the light of jnana can dispel the darkness that surrounds him and can radiate to all beings.

This is why the great sun of Buddhahood can dispel the darkness of ignorance of all beings. The emotionally tainted obscurations are listed in the Abhidharm a as the ten basic and twenty secondary defilements. These are even further divided into the obscurations that can be removed by insight and those that can removed by cultivation of insight. But they can also be summarized into the three poisons corresponding to the three examples just given. Sometimes these are also explained in terms of five poisons: attachment, aggression, and ignorance plus pride and jealousy. Jealousy, however, has the same nature as aggression; and pride is rooted in ignorance because it is the belief that one is more gifted or intelligent than other persons. So once these poisons have been removed, all the qualities of Buddhahood can manifest.

This detailed explanation of the freedom from the cognitive obscurations gives nine examples. First, Buddha-hood freed from the impurities is compared to the body of Buddha, because there is nothing else that could be used since the Buddha is matchless.

[182] Second, it is compared to honey because once Buddhahood has been achieved, it is capable of giving the taste of perfect dharma to all beings by providing them happiness.

Third, it is compared to a grain freed from the husk because once all the qualities are freed from the husk of ignorance, they can be tasted in all their goodness.

[183] In the next three examples, Buddhahood is compared to gold, a great treasure, and a tree. Buddhahood has a very pure nature since all the fleeting impurities have been removed and it is adorned by myriads of qualities. Because it has a wealth of qualities, it can remove the poverty of all who are stuck in conditioned existence and who suffer from lack of intelligence, lack of faith, and lack of happiness. It can dispel the poverty of other beings by turning the wheel of dharma. Turning the wheel of dharma is not just short-term help; it’s a way to achieve ultimate happiness through complete liberation. Buddhahood is compared to gold because of its natural purity. Because it dispels the poverty of all beings, it is compared to a great treasure. Because it will lead to perfect fruition, it is compared to a tree that grew out from a fruit.

[184] The last three examples show how Buddhahood, freed from the cognitive obscurations, has the nature of the three kayas. The dharmakaya is compared to a jewel because it is not made up of any other elements. It is also not of an illusory nature so it is compared to a statue made of precious substances.

The sambhogakaya is compared to the king of all beings (Cakravartin) in the womb of a poor and ugly mother. The sambhogakaya here is said to be the lord of all beings on earth. The sambhogakaya can help, protect, and look after all beings.

Finally, the nirmanakaya is compared to a precious statue inside its clay cast. It is compared to a very precious statue because it has a special quality of being like a wish-fulfilling gem.6 When the Buddha appears in the world, the happiness of beings increases. So that is why it is compared here to a statue made of very precious substances, like the wish-fulfilling gem.( 6 Rinpoche says that in previous times when karma was much better, the wish-fulfilling gem was an actual object which would produce what one desired.)

These nine examples are of Buddhahood freed from all the cognitive obscurations. Each set of three examples has a specific meaning also. The first three examples—of the Buddha liberated from the lotus, the honey taken from bees, and a kernel removed from its husk—illustrate the fruition of Buddhahood once the cognitive obscurations have been rem oved. Removing just the em otional obscurations allows one to reach the state of arhats, srSvakas, or pratyekabuddhas, but one doesn’t reach final Buddhahood. Cognitive obscurations must also be removed to attain Buddhahood. At enlightenment all the qualities of body, speech, and mind of the Buddha manifest. The body aspect manifests as in the example of when the Buddha is liberated from the lotus. His speech manifests when he begins giving the taste of the honey of dharma to beings. His mind aspect manifests when the very essence, the kernel, is liberated from the husk.

The last three exam ples illustrate the ultim ate realization which manifests in the form of the three kayas of the Buddha using the examples of gold, the treasure, and the great tree. Gold is naturally pure, a treasure is naturally plentiful, and a tree is the full manifestation of the fruit. So these are compared to Buddhahood which is the complete liberation from all obscurations.

4. Function of Enlightenment

[ 185] There arc four qualities associated with the function of Buddhahood. It is not tainted by any defilements or remaining mental imprints. Second, it is all-embracing, which is connected to the knowledge aspect of Buddhahood. Third, it is indestructible, which is connected with the uncreated nature of Buddhahood. Fourth, it is the ground of everything. The first three refer to value for one’s self and the fourth to value for others.

The first attribute of indestructibility is explained in four ways. It is indestructible because it has no old age, sickness, birth, or death. Being free from old age, it is eternal; being free from sickness, it is at peace; being free from birth, it is permanent; being free from death, it is immortal. The fourth attribute of Buddhahood being the ground of everything is illustrated by the Buddhas being compared to space7 because its nature is uncreated. Space is just there, it does nothing, but it provides the possibility for everything else to take place. In the same way, the Buddhas provide the space within which all the faculties of the realized ones can be experienced. (7 Although translated as “space” this refers to the element of ether which is the substance which pervades everything in A ristolian mechanics.)

[186] The objects of the faculties of the realized ones are experienced in a pure way beyond the fourelements. This refers to the pure form kayas of the Buddha which can be seen by those who are spiritually mature. The ears of the realized ones can hear the pure sounds of the Mahayana dharma. Their olfactory senses can smell the very pure fragrance of the Buddha’s perfect conduct. Their tongue can taste the flavor of the true dharma, really tasting its meaning. Because they’ve acquired great mastery of samadhi meditation, they can control their meditation and it brings them great bliss. This experience of bliss represents the pure experience of touch. They also have a mental experience of the true nature of everything. This is how the realized ones experience all sensations as pure.

[187] In the ultimate sense, the tathagatas are like space— space is void and at the same time it provides the possibility for everything to take place in it. The Buddhas are compared to space because of its uncreated and unchanging quality. In the same way, the Buddhas are uncreated and spontaneously present without any effort on their part. Their activity takes place to help other beings without any reason and they do not think in terms of having to help and doing something to help. The whole thing takes place spontaneously.

[188] These four points will be explained in detail in three parts. The first part is an explanation of how twofold value is achieved by means of the jnana of how-it-is and of variety. While bodhisattvas are practicing on the path, there is a gradual progression of the manifestation of the two jnanas. In meditation nonconceptual jnana is present trying to understand the ultimate nature of phenomena. In post- meditation analytical jnana examines the variety of phenomena to understand its particularities. When these two jnanas are fully developed, they express themselves in the form of the two kayas of the Buddha which is actually part of the dharmakaya. One is known as the vimuktikaya which means the “embodiment of liberation.” The other isthe dharmakaya or “em bodim ent of dharm a.” The vimuktikaya is attained from nonconceptual jnana which eliminates all obscurations.

The second jnana is full realization of phenomena representing the clarity aspect of Buddhahood embodied by the dharmakaya. The dharmakaya is obtained as a result of the jnana of post-meditation. It is the analytical aspect of understanding of phenomena which finds its expression in the dharmakaya at fruition.

So enlightenment is divided into the vimuktikaya and the dharmakaya with the vimuktikaya representing the untainted qualities and the dharmakaya representing the qualities of all-pervasiveness because the dharmakaya pervades all phenomena. These kayas also have the quality of being uncreated and being indestructible in common.

These three qualities of not tainted, all-embracing, and indestructible represent perfect fulfillment for oneself and have the power to achieve perfect fulfillment for others which is the fourth quality, the happiness of other beings. So the vimuktikaya and dharmakaya represent frlfillment oneself and perfect fulfillment for others, insofar as they are the ground for all other qualities.

[189] When the defilem ents have been totally relinquished, Buddhahood becomes perfect fulfillment and all the very fine mental imprints have been totally removed. This contrasts to the sravakas or pratyekabuddhas because their mental imprints have not been removed. But all of these disappear completely and the quality of purity is represented by untaintedness.

[190] The second aspect of perfect realization represented by the dharmakaya is the all-pervading quality of jnana. Once all obscurations have been removed, the Buddha jnana can pervade everything and is not hindered by misperceptions.

[191] The qualities of perfect purity and perfect realization represent untaintedness and all-pervasiveness respectively. Together they have the common quality of being indestructible. This indestructibility, already mentioned, has the characteristics of being eternal, at peace, permanent, and deathless.

[192] Enlightenment has the quality of indestructibility which is not shared by phenomena. Everything which is of a created or composite in nature undergoes aging, sickness, birth, and death. D estructibility manifests as decay corresponding to old age, drastic change corresponds to sickness, interruption corresponds to birth, in the form of the inconceivable change corresponds to death.

[193] The quality of stainless intelligence is the ground for benefiting other beings because it is the basis of all virtuous qualities. Stainless intelligence is the Buddha essence once all impurities have been removed and one’s knowledge is fully developed. So at this point stainless intelligence is the ground of all qualities for all beings. The function of a person’s capabilities and gifts is to provide him or her with the opportunity to do virtuous actions. Therefore buddha nature is the basis of all virtuous qualities.

[194] For example, space is not the cause of form, sound, smell, taste, touch, or mental objects. It doesn’t create them, but it provides the environment within which all these things can manifest so forms can be seen, sounds can be heard, etc. In the same way, when disciples practice the path of junction, they get to see the two kayas of the Buddha, (the vimuktikaya and the dharmakaya) without any obstruction.

5. Endowments

[196] Buddhahood is inconceivable because it can only be understood by self-cognition jnana; it is permanent because it has no birth; it is eternal because it is free from aging; it is at peace because it is free from all the changes caused by sickness; it is changeless because it has no death; it is perfectly at peace because it is completely free from the karmic result of suffering; it is all-embracing because of the knowledge of variety; it is free from concept because of the knowledge of how-it-is; it is uninvoli/dd because it is free from the emotional obscurations; it i« completely unhindered because it is free from cognitive obscuration; it is free from coarse sensations because it is in the true sphere of meditation; it is invisible because it has no form; it is im perceptible because it has no characteristics; it is pure because by nature it is totally pure; and it is immaculate because it is free from all incidental stains.

[197] There are 15 qualities of Buddhahood which manifest in the vimuktikaya and the dharmakaya. The Tibetan word for “Buddha” is sang gay with sang meaning “awakened from the sleep of ignorance,” and gay meaning “fully blossomed.” This shows the two facets of Buddhahood which are purity and -realization. These can also be found in the Tibetan words for “enlightenment” which is made up of the two syllables chang meaning “purified” and chub meaning “assimilated,” or “ taken in” or“internalized.”  The first syllable shows the facet of enlightenment, of the complete liberation from all stains and this represents the vimuktikaya aspect. The second syllable refers to the realization aspect of Buddhahood, represented by the dharmakaya. The vimuktikaya and dharmakaya are of value for oneself and value for others respectively. In more detail:

[198] The first quality of enlightenment is inconceivability which is explained first because it is the main quality that runs through all the other qualities of a Buddha. The true qualities of a Buddha cannot be really understood by anyone other than the Buddha himself.Other beings may have an idea of what Buddhahood is, but only a Buddha knows Buddhahood directly.

[199] Enlightenment cannot be understood by means of the three prajnas of study, reflection, and meditation. This is true for ordinary beings all the way up to bodhisattvas of the tenth level. Enlightenment is beyond this because it is far too subtle to be within the scope of study. When one studies, one can only obtain a very general and indirect knowledge of enlightenment. This is analogous to when one sees a form or hears a sound one apprehends them in a rather gross way since one cannot perceive them direcdy.

Enlightenment cannot be the ''bject of reflection either. When one reflects on something using discursive thought, the object can only be crude and one cannot know the actual nature of the object. So reflection cannot apply to som ething as subtle as enlightenm ent because enlightenment is within the realm of the ultimate. Finally, enlightenment cannot be the object of meditation of ordinary beings. However, the prajna in the meditation of a bodhisattva could understand enlightenm ent. This knowledge could be called prajna, but it is more like jnana. It is the jnana that manifests more and more in the development of a bodhisattva. It’s not so much the result of their meditation as the general process of the unfolding of jnana.

[200] The inability of ordinary beings to study enlightenment is compared to a blind person. Even though there are visual forms outside, a blind person doesn’t have any idea of what it looks like or what it is. In the same way, ordinary beings cannot have an experience of enlightenment. They cannot see, know, or experience the vimuktikaya and the dharmakaya.

Enlightenment is also, in part, inconceivable to deeplyrealized bodhisattvas who have only a small experience of it. They are compared to a new bom baby in a house. If the sun is shining outside and the baby is inside the house, it will get some of the rays of the sun peeping into the house and feel a little bit of the warmth of the sun. In the same way, the realized bodhisattvas have some experience of the buddha qualities as they progress along the bodhisattva levels, but it is a far cry from the full experience of Buddhahood.

[201] The second quality is changelessness which actually covers the second to fifth qualities ot permanent, eternal, at peace, and immutable. Enlightenment is changeless because it is present in all beings from the start. It is not created by various causes and conditions so it is permanent. If it never started, then it obviously has no cessation and therefore is eternal. If there’s no beginning or no end, then there are no upsetting patterns in the middle.

So enlightenment is at peace. There is just nothing to disturb the nature of enlightenment so it is not affected by any kind of change. It is immutable because enlightenment is always at rest and its true nature never changes.

[202] The sixth through the eleventh qualities express the perfect fulfillment of purification and realization. The sixth quality is being perfectly at peace because all suffering has been completely uprooted. This corresponds to the truth of cessation —when all impurities have been removed, there is no longer any opportunity for suffering to arise. If impurities were still present, these would still be caused by emotional disruptions. So Buddhahood is perfectly at peace and free from emotional obscurations.

The seventh quality is all-embracing which relates to clarity from cognitive obscurations. When these obscurations are removed, there is a very clear knowledge of everything. Everything is as clear as though it were in the palm of one’s hand.

The eighth quality is being concept-free because enlightenment doesn’t dwell on any idea or any concept. The ninth quality is being uninvolved. This could also be translated in the sense of “not stuck to anything.” Enlightenment doesn’t stick to anything insofar as there is no emotional obscuration to make one cling to something.

[203] The tenth quality is being unhindered. At this point knowledge is totally unhindered because there are no longer any cognitive obscurations. The eleventh quality is freedom from coarse sensatic s which is the ability to meditate without being disturbed by drowsiness or agitation. Drowsiness in meditation provokes a dull state of mind, an absence of clarity. Agitation causes a constant movement of thoughts which prevents good meditation. So at the point of enlightenment, there are no longer any disrupting forces in meditation. Because there is no hindrance, the meditation is free from coarse sensations.

[204] The last four qualities of enlightenm ent aredescribed in terms of the four qualities of purity. The first quality is invisibility. Buddhahood is formless and therefore invisible. The twelfth quality is imperceptible because Buddhahood has no solid characteristics. Thethirteenth is purity which could also be rendered as “wholesomeness,” meaning that nothing in it is impure. The last quality is immaculateness because all the impurities that would impede proper meditation have been removed.

6. Manifestation of Enlightenment

In the root text, the sixth point is called “manifestation.” But literally it means, “going into enlightenment” or “entering enlightenment” so that it means actualizing

enlightenment.

[205] First manifestation of enlightenment is the characteristic of being uncreated because is eternal, centerless, and endless. This means that enlightenment doesn’t start at a given point and therefore cannot stop at a given point or abide in between these two points.

The second characteristic is indivisibility of emptiness and jnana. Everything being voidness refers to the

dharmadhatu quality of everything. The voidness and jnana cannot exist separately as can, for example, a single rope made by taking white and black thread and braiding them together. They are inseparable by nature with one unable to exist without the other. There is jnana, but the nature of that jnana is voidness. There is voidness, but the nature of that voidness is jnana. In the same way, the voidness itself is jnana. It has a quality of clarity that’s not a blank like the nonexistence of the rabbit’s horns. It is very alive, so this voidness creates the possibility for everything to manifest clearly.

The third characteristic is “to be free from the two” which indicates freedom from all extreme notions. This characteristic of right understanding is that one doesn’t make any false assumptions or any incorrect denials about it. A false assumption would be to attribute a quality to something that doesn’t have that quality. An incorrect denial would be not recognizing a quality, if it really existed. So freedom from the two is to be free from these two distortions of the true nature of things.

The fourth characteristic is freedom from all obscurations or “veils” so there is no longer any emotional obscuration, cognitive obscuration, or obstruction of meditation. When these three have been removed, a quality of stainlessness emerges.

The last characteristic is being beyond thought because enlightenment cannot be understood by discursive thought. Enlightenment is not an outer object so it cannot be understood by discursive thinking. The only way to understand it is by meditation. The supreme yogi (the Buddha) then rests within the nature of the dharmadhatu and in meditation can understand it.

Dharmakaya Qualities

[206] The first four qualities of the dharmakaya represent perfect knowledge. The dharmakaya has qualities which are unfathomable and cannot be understood because of their vastness. The dharmakaya doesn’t have any solid reality, therefore it is present everyw here. This unfathomable nature means that there are so many qualities which are so vast and so deep that one cannot even discern what they exactly are. The second quality is being unaccountable. The dharmakaya has so many qualities that one cannot count them precisely. The third quality is inconceivability because the dharmakaya is so deep that one cannot understand it easily. The fourth quality is incomparability because there is nothing else one can compare it to. It cannot be compared to ordinary phenomena because ordinary phenomena are emotionally tainted and it cannot be compared to the fruition of the hinayana path. The fifth quality represents the complete purity of Buddhahood. The verse says “the immaculate space of the tathagatas” which means the dharmakaya is completely free from all obscurations including the very fine traces left behind by those obscurations.

Sambhogakaya Qualities

[207] The sambhogakaya exhibits the deep and vast aspect of dharma. The deep aspect of dharma refers to voidness and the vast aspect refers to the various levels practiced on the path. The sambhogakaya shows the speech aspect with the dharma taking place without interruption. The second quality of the sambhogakaya is the Buddha’s body adorned with the 32 marks and 80 signs of beauty which are like a radiant body. This manifests to realized bodhisattvas in this very brilliant, pure form.

The third quality of the Buddha’s mind in the sambhogakaya is his mind is always engaged in the goal of helping liberate all beings. This compassionate mind manifests to realized bodhisattvas.

The fourth quality relates to the activity of the sambhogakaya. The acts of the sambhogakaya are compared to a wish-fulfilling jewel which can accomplish anything without thought or effort. Likewise, the deeds of the sambhogakaya are accomplished spontaneously, without any effort.

The fifth quality shows how this activity of the sambhogakaya actually manifests by appearing in many different substantial forms to beings and performing many different kinds of deeds that guide them to liberation. Still while manifesting as substantial forms, it is insubstantial.

Nirmanakaya Qualities

[208] The nirmanakaya of the Buddha is the origin for liberation of beings in three different stages. In the nirmanakaya form, the Buddha causes ordinary beings to enter the path of liberation leading them away from samsara. Once beings have entered the path, the Buddhas help them to purify the defilements and gain realization. In the third stage if someone has developed fully on the path, the nirmanakaya will predict when a person will become a Buddha and in which buddha field he or she will go and what his or her name will be.

The nirmanakaya of the Buddha is always present in our world. The nirmanakaya is not permanent in nature, but a permanence of continuity of buddha activity. A Buddha enters our world and then he passes away and one could think that Buddha activity then stops. But this is not the case because once a Buddha has passed away, another

Buddha comes along continuing the buddha activity. The spontaneous presence of buddha activity in our world can be compared to the way in which the form realms abide in space. In the same way, buddha activity is always present in our world.

[209] Enlightenm ent takes three different aspects; through the dharmakaya, the sambhogakaya, and the nirmanakaya which can be described in terms of seven names. First, enlightenment is called “spontaneously present” because it does not rely on anything else depending entirely on the presence of the buddha essence within us. The second name is “all-know ing” or “omniscient” which refers to perfect knowledge of the Buddha. The third name is “Buddhahood” which comes from the word dharmakaya and covers both the quality of complete purity and full knowledge. The fourth name is “supreme nirvana” with the word “supreme” added to “nirvana” because nirvana is beyond suffering. The arhats also believe that they go beyond suffering so the word “supreme” is added to show going beyond this suffering.

The fifth name is “inconceivability” because enlightenment is not the object of intellectual speculation and can only be understood through the deepest aspect of understanding,prajna. The sixth name is “victory over the enemy” in which samsara is compared to the enemy and Buddhahood the complete victory over that enemy. The seventh is self-cognisant nature” because Buddhahood is the object of the realization of the self-cognisant jnana. So it is the nature that knows itself.

[210] Enlightenment also has three aspects: an aspect of depth which relates to the dharmakaya because it is very difficult to understand; an aspect of vasmess which relates to sambhogakaya insofar as it has great powers to help beings; and an aspect of greatness of nature which refers to the nirmanakaya and its quality of infinite compassion which- allows the nirmanakaya to act in all the different ways according to a being’s karma and capabilities.

The Svabhavikakaya

[211] The svabhavikakaya of the dharmakaya has five intrinsic characteristics and five qualities.

The first characteristic is uncreated. The dharmakaya is uncreated because it has no beginning, no abiding, and no end. It is also the indivisible union of the untainted dharmadhatu and the perfectly completed jnana. This dharmadhatu means the voidness aspect of the true nature which is completely free from the four extremes and the eight mental fabrications. This voidness is explained in the second turning of the wheel of dharma. In the relative sense everything appears, but ultimately everything is of a void nature. This corresponds to the teachings on the presence of the buddha essence in the mind of all beings that were given in the third turning. So the dharmadhatu and jnana are perfectly united.

The second characteristic of the dharmakaya is being completely free from the two extreme notions of trying to add to it something that is not there or trying to remove something that doesn’t need to be removed. So it is just as it is. When practicing on the path, it is within this nature that one has to rest the mind in meditation and one has to recognize the jnana of insight. At the beginning one leams theoretically that the true nature of existence is the indivisibility of voidness and clarity. Then one gains a

definite conviction that it is true and allows oneself to be immersed within that true nature in meditation. The third characteristic is being completely free from emotional and cognitive obscurations and free from the obscuration that prevents one from meditating properly.

[213] The fourth characteristic is being free of the obscurations so the svabhavikakaya is flawless. The fifth characteristic is clarity. Because the dharmakaya is stainless, it is not the object of intellectual speculation but the object of cognition of the supreme yogis who abide continually in the union of prajna and skillful means (Skt.upaya). It is also clarity because the dharmadhatu is itself by nature completely pure.

[214] There are five outward characteristics of the svabhavikakaya. The first quality is immeasurability because it cannot be fathomed in any way. It is not like an ordinary composite object which can investigated in regard to its color, form, and different attributes. The second quality is uncountability. If one takes any ordinary objects one can count it, but this is im possible for the svabhavikakaya. The third quality is inconceivability. All ordinary objects can be intellectually worked with because they have form, sound, shape, taste, and so on but the svabhavikakaya is free from the four extremes and the eight conceptual fabrications. However, this svabhavikakaya is not totally blank because its great clarity can be apprehended by the yogi who can understand it through his self-cognisant jnana. The fifth quality is ultimate purity in which all the subtle traces of the emotional, cognitive, and meditative obscurations have been removed.

[215] There are five reasons for these qualities. The svabhavikakaya is immeasurable because there is no way in which it can be reckoned by ordinary means because of its great vastness. It is uncountable because there is nothing solid to account for. It is completely immeasurable since it is beyond the four extremes and the eight conceptual fabrications. It is inconceivable because if we try to examine it by discursive thought, it cannot be apprehended because it doesn’t have the characteristics of ordinary objects. It also cannot be understood in terms of existing or not existing and that is why an ordinary beings cannot grasp the svabhavikakaya. It is incomparable because the Buddha has qualities which are not shared by anyone else. Finally, it is the ultimate purity and because it lacks even the very fine mental traces of obscurations.

The Sambhogakaya

[216] In general, the Buddha has two form kayas: one which is the ultimate form kaya, the sambhogakaya, which manifests to those bodhisattvas with very pure karma. This is not because the Buddha has the thought, ‘This person can see me because he is good.” It is just a function of the way in which beings perceive the forms of the Buddha.

Beings who are quite pure can perceive the sambhogakaya:

Beings who are less pure can perceive only the nirmana- kaya form. This can be illustrated by an example of the reflection of the moon in water. If the moon reflects in a very clear pond, the image of the moon is very clear. If it reflects in very dirty water, the image of the moon is less clear. In the same way, bodhisattvas on the ten levels are quite pure, so they can perceive the sambhogakaya form of the Buddha. Beings who are less pure can only perceive the nirmanakaya, even though the buddha activity is going on all the time. When beings are not ready, the Buddha will teach them a simpler way of looking at things to lead them gradually to the understanding of the real truth. But the sambhogakaya level always teaches the absolute meaning of things. The Buddha at this level doesn’t need to use examples or simplified explanations because he manifests to beings who are already realized. So the first quality of the sambhogakaya is speech which expresses all the aspects of the dharma at all times.

The second quality of the sambhogakaya is a body in which the activity of the Buddha is unceasing and manifests through many different em anations. The sambhogakaya represents the emanations which are very faithful to the nature of the dharmakaya itself. In the example of the reflection of the moon in water, the sambhogakaya form makes a very faithful reflection of the qualities of the dharmakaya. So it is said the qualities of the body of the sambhogakaya manifest the real qualities of the dharmakaya.

The third quality of the sambhogakaya is mind which is the pure compassion of the Buddha, so that the natural outflow of this compassion is unceasing help to all beings. From the dharmakSya’s compassion springs the sambhogakaya, and the sambhogakaya is the source of Buddha activity. Even the activity of the nirmanakaya springs from the com passion of the sam bhogakaya which is the expression of the  compassion of the dharmakaya.

[217] The fourth quality of the sambhogakaya is that of the Buddha’s activity. The activity of the sambhogakaya is completely spontaneous and does not need any thought to take place and entirely satisfies all the wishes of beings.

The fifth quality of the sambhogakaya is manifesting something which is not really its true nature, like the wish-fulfilling gem. If one puts a gem against a background of one color it will manifest that color, although that color is not the gem’s nature. In the same way, the sambhogakaya manifests in a miraculous way of appearing which is not its real nature, because the sambhogakaya is never divorced from the dharm akaya— it is forever abiding in the dharmakaya.

[218] The sambhogakaya has five different aspects. The first is uninterrupted speech, of continually giving very deep and vast teachings to the pure disciples.

The second is the quality of emanating of body without interruption. The sambhogakaya m anifests the true qualities of enlightenment to the realized bodhisattvas. What the realized bodhisattvas see is a form which is adorned with all the marks and signs of a Buddha.

The third quality is the mind of the sambhogakaya that is constantly engaged in activity to help beings as the result of its pure nonconceptual compassion. This compassion helps pure beings, so buddha activity is not aimed only at impure beings.

The fourth aualitv of the sambhogakaya is that it is constantly acting spontaneously with its body, speech, and mind. The sambhogakaya body is constantly manifesting physically, and the mind is continually acting to help pure beings, and the speech is constantly giving teachings all

without thinking about it.

The fifth quality is being able to manifest beyond its true nature. The sambhogakaya shows itself in forms that correspond to the spiritual maturity of beings. For pure beings it emanates in the form of the sambhogakaya; for impure beings it shows itself in the form of the nirmanakaya. It displays visible forms, but these are not its actual nature because its actual nature is the dharmakaya.

[219] For example, a jewel may give off different colors due to the background colors, but itself has no such colors. The jewel does not have a nature of being white, yellow, blue etc. but because it is very transparent, the colors of the background can be seen in the jewel. In the same way, enlightenment can manifest in different forms due to the various circumstances created by beings. The dharmakaya itself doesn’t change, but reflects all the various conditions of beings in the way it manifests to them.

Nirmanakaya

[220] The nirmanakaya referred to here is the supreme nirmanakaya which is the historical Buddha with 32 marks and the 80 signs on his body and 60 different qualities of speech. This is the form of the Buddha we know as the Buddha Sakyamuni, and the Buddha Maitreya who will manifest in the future. The nirmanakaya is represented by the one thousand Buddhas that will come in this present world cycle. All these Buddhas will show various deeds to help beings. The Sakyamuni Buddha performed 12 main deeds on the path to liberation.

The ground of buddha activity is the dharmakaya. The sambhogakaya and the nirmanakaya manifest to help beings, emanating from the dharmakaya without any change and without being separate from the dharmakaya. The Buddha sees all worlds just as they are and with his compassion he perceives the suffering of beings. The Buddha knows that if these beings practice, they will achieve enlightenment because all beings are endowed with buddha essence. So having seen the world through his great compassion and having seen the need to help beings without departing from the dharmakaya, the Buddha helps them through the form kayas.

Twelve Deeds o f the Buddha

First the Buddha took birth as a god in a paradise called Tusita which is a place of great happiness. When he was in Tusita, he taught the dharma to the gods. Although this was the first deed of the Buddha, it is not counted as one of the twelve deeds because the twelve deeds refer to activities in our world. Before he left Tusita, he appointed the bodhisattva Maitreya as the representative of the Buddhas in Tusita empowering him to give teachings there.

Before the Buddha came into our world, he actually had five visions. He saw his mother, the place of his birth, the time, and the kind of people he would be associated with in his life. He saw his caste as a royal family because if he had been born in a low caste he would have autom atically been cut off from most persons. The previous buddha, Buddha KaSyapa, was bom in a Brahmin family for a similar reason because at the time the Brahmins had the greatest prestige. Buddha Sakyamuni was bom into a royal family because the royal caste had the greatest prestige at the time. Then he saw his mother who was worthy of bearing a Buddha with all his perfect marks and signs inside her womb. He also saw that the beings associated with him lived in India, so India would be the right place for him to manifest. He also saw the right time to manifest which was about 500 B.C. because beings were spiritually ready for his coming. He saw the country in which he should go because there he would be able to help beings the most. Having foreseen these five things, the Buddha left Tusita and entered our world.

[221] The second deed was to enter the womb of his mother and his mother perceived this in the form of a white elephant with six tusks entering her womb. The third deed was to take birth in a normal way (his mother’s womb). Actually, the Buddha had the power to be bom in any way—he could have appeared miraculously from a lotus or just appeared from the sky, but he chose to manifest in a normal birth because all the beings he had to relate to, including his disciples, were bom from the womb. Had he had a miraculous birth, they might have thought, “Oh, we are not like him because he has just fallen from space and can do all these things, but we can’t do them because we are just ordinary people.” So he took a normal birth to show that he was sharing the conditions of all humans.

The fourth deed was that he became very proficient in all arts and crafts. When the Buddha was a little boy, he learned the different aspects of knowledge. He learned to write in the sixty different languages, learned all tfie different skills, the martial arts, and all the aspects of knowledge. He became extremely proficient and skilled in all of them. The reason he did all this was that later when he was going to teach, there would be no risk of people saying, “Well, he is teaching all these things involving the spiritual life because he was a failure in worldly things.”

[222] The filth deed was that he enjoyed the company of his wife and consorts in his father’s palace. This was to eliminate the belief that the Buddha was so extraordinary because he didn’t know wha: pleasure was all about. To offset this belief be showed that he could indeed enjoy the pleasures of the world. Later he showed that there is no need to become involved with these pleasures and cling to them, because they are futile pleasures because as they do not last forever. Instead one should practice the way to liberation without attachment.

The sixth and seventh deeds were to eliminate the extreme of overindulgence of pleasures and enjoyment without caring for anything else and the extreme of practicing too many hardships thinking that this will bring liberation. To show the pointlessness of these extremes, the Buddha renounced the world. At the time the Buddha had been living with all the pleasures of his palace with his wife and consorts. To show this was too much of a fetter, he secretly fled from the palace at night, cut his hair off, and took up the life of a ascetic. Once he left the palace and found a teacher, he practiced extreme austerities by the banks of a river for six years. This was to demonstrate that practicing austerities was not the way to achieve realization. Instead, the final realization is the understanding of the true nature of the mind.

The eighth deed was to go to Bodhgaya (in India) which is known as “the heart of enlightenment.” This is the place where the one thousand Buddhas of this time cycle will go to reach enlightenment. His ninth deed was to vanquish the host of m5ra which are demons. The true meaning of this is that through his vaija-like samadhi the Buddha became victorious over all the defilements that were known as the demon of the aggregates, the demon of defilem ents and so on. These demons or obstacles appeared in front of him to stop him from reaching Buddhahood. They tried to stop him through attachment, aggression, and ignorance. For attachment, the demons created a very beautiful woman who tried to tempt the Buddha, but he overcame this. Then they tried to delude him by producing a messenger who said that his father had died and Devadatta, who was an enemy of the Buddha, was going to take over the kingdom. They also tried to arouse his anger by producing a tremendous army of demons who tried to attack the Buddha through their amazing displays of negative miracles. But the whole time, the Buddha just remained in meditation and was immersed in a state of loving kindness unswayed by desire, anger, or delusion. As a result he demonstrated the tenth deed which was to achieve perfect enlightenment.

[223] Having achieved enlightenm ent, the Buddha performed the eleventh deed which was turning the wheel of dharma. The first turning taught the four noble truths which was to help the disciples of hinayana. The second turning was the teaching of voidness and the original nature of everything, of dharmadhatu. The third turning was the teachings on the clarity aspect of jnana that showed that the true nature of everything is the union of clarity and voidness and was intended for bodhisattvas who could reach enlightenment.

The twelfth deed of the Buddha was his passing away. The buddha could see that if he remained among human beings all the time, they wouldn’t really develop a sense of renunciation. To kindle a weariness of samsara and develop a wish for liberation in beings, the Buddha appeared to die.

Progressive Training

[224] The first way the Buddha helped in the nirmana- kaya was the 12 deeds. The second way was through helping beings reach liberation or “ripening” them. For ordnary beings , the Buddha helps them enter the hinayana by guiding them in the understanding of that path. When beings are more spiritually developed, he guides tnem into the mahayana and helps them relinquish their emotional and cognidve obscurations until they reach enlightenment.

The Buddha helps beings, including those who have not yet had any contact with the Buddha’s teachings, enter the hinayana path by teaching the relative truth because the ultimate truth is quite difficult to understand at first. He teaches that all composite phenomena are impermanent and that everything that is tainted by emotional impurities automatically implies suffering. Then he taught that all these conditions and tainted phenomena arc devoid of any self and that this subject that seems to be apprehending phenomena is itself not real. So in effect, beings are taught the three characteristics of samsara; impermanence, suffering, and self.

Once beings understand impermanence and suffering, they will want to eliminate these. Once they understand there is no “self,” they will want to relinquish this illusion and understand it. So the teaching of non-self has the benefit of making beings want to go beyond suffering, impermanence, and a mistaken belief in a self, and making them want to reach nirvana. So the benefit of these teachings is that they bring beings onto the path in the immediate future and help them liberate themselves from samsara to achieve a state of peace in the more distant future.

[225] The second turning and the bodhisattva path teachings are given to those beings who have already entered the path to peace, but mistakenly believe that they have already achieved nirvana. So teachings such as the Lotus Sutra (Saddharmaundarlka sutra) describe the real nature of phenomena and teach that they have not achieved final enlightenment and to reach this final enlightenment, they have to practice two qualities. They have to develop prajna which leads them to understand that they must go beyond conditioned existence. Simultaneously, they must develop the true compassion unsupported by any concepts. This makes them want to go beyond peace just for oneself. So these beings who have achieved peace for themselves are taught they must go on to perfect enlightenment.

[226] Through these teachings practitioners of the hinayana are brought into the fold of the mahayana. They will undergo a change of motivation and acquire real prajna. They will understand the nonexistence of a personal self and the non-existence of phenomena. Through these changes, they will cultivate the skillful means of compassion (the emptiness) united with deeper understanding (prajna).

The im m ediate result of these teachings of the nirmanakaya leads beings onto the path to peace and brings, them into the fold of the hinayana. After that, the Buddha gives them the absolute meaning of the teachings and places them onto the mahayana path.

The third aspect of buddha activity is enlightenment. When beings have reached the pure eighth, ninth, and tenth bodhisattva levels, the Buddha makes a prediction of their future enlightenment. He will say, “Later on in such and such a time cycle (Skt. kalpa), you will become a Buddha with the name of so and so, and have disciples by the names of so and so, your teachings will endure for such and such duration of time, and your buddha field will be called such and such.”How the Kayas are Grouped

[227] The kayas of the Buddha are the dharmakaya, sambhogakaya, and the nirmanakaya. The dharmakaya is the most difficult to understand because it is beyond the four extremes and the eight mental fabrications.

The sambhogakaya has the quality of great power. The nirmanakaya, on the other hand, expresses itself with respect to what beings need. When the nirmanakaya manifests in a given place, all the beings who live in that place won’t necessarily enter the dharma. However, when the sambhogakaya teaches in a given buddha field, all the beings there enter the dharma because they are already very close to the final realization. The sambhogakaya, in effect, teaches the final realization and is extremely powerful because it talks continually about the absolute meaning of things.

 The nirmanakaya expresses the teachings in a way that beings can relate to it and teaches more relative than absolute meaning. This is why the nirmanakaya appears in forms that are actual experiences of beings.

[228] To summarize, the dharmakav.i is the depth, the very expression of the dharmadhatu. The sambhogakaya represents the vastness of buddha activity which is all-powerful. And the nirmanakaya represents greatness of nature which means it has great compassion that makes it possible for buddha activity to express itself in ways beings can relate to. The buddha kayas can also be divided into the dharmakaya which expresses the true nature of things and the other two form kayas. The sambhogakaya and the nirmanakaya are called the form kayas because they are the ones people can actually see and relate to. However, these two form kayas are always present in the dharmakaya in the same way that visible objects are present in space.

7. Permanence

[229] The very nature of enlightenment is changeless, immutable and will be explained using ten different reasons—seven for the form kayas and three for the dharmakaya. The dharmakaya has the permanence of nature, the sambhogakaya the permanence of continuity, and the nirmanakaya the permanence of uninterruptedness. The first reason for permanence of the kayas is due to endless conditions which means that Buddhahood can be achieved through a combination of many different causes. One condition for realizing Buddhahood is the accumulation of virtue by practicing the six paramitas. The other condition is the accumulation of insight which is done through meditation. When these two accumulations have been completed the two form kayas will manifest as the result of these endless causes and will be able to manifest permanently to all different beings: the sambhogakaya with its permanence of continuity and the nirmSnakaya with its permanence of being uninterupted.

The second reason for the permanence of the kayas is the inexhaustible number of beings and buddha activity will be around as long as there are beings. However, the number of beings is so inexhaustible that the form kayas will always have to manifest in order to help them. If one being has been liberated, there are still many, many other beings to liberate.

The third reason for the permanence of the form kayas is the great compassionate love of the Buddha. If the Buddhas weren’t continually inspired by compassion, their activity would stop. However, the Buddhas have non-referential compassion so their activity goes on all the time as a mother always has love for her only son.

The fourth reason is miraculous cause. Even if the Buddhas had compassion, if they didn’t have the power to make this activity possible, then it wouldn’t take place. But the Buddhas have miraculous powers so that they can continually help with whatever is necessary for the good of beings. The fifth reason for the permanence of the form kayas is that the Buddhas have realized the sameness of samsara and nirvana and do not see themselves defiled and polluted by samsara when helping beings in samsara. The sixth reason is that they possess the untainted happiness. And the seventh reason is that they have mastery over all qualities.

The next three reasons express the permanence of the dharmakaya. The dharmakaya is permanent because the evil of death has been vanquished. Ninth is that the dharmakaya has no material essence. It is not of a conditioned nature, therefore it is permanent. The tenth reason is that the dharmakaya is the protector of the world and pervades everything. In more detail:

[230] The first four reasons for explaining how the form kayas are constantly present in samsara and the last three reasons explain how they do not forsake samsara.

To begin, the form kayas are always present in samsara because the bodhisattvas hold the true dharma, having devoted their bodies, lives, and resources to this for aeons. The form kayas manifest due to endless causes which are all the virtuous actions done by the bodhisattvas for endless aeons.

The second reason for permanence is that the Buddhas act for the benefit of all beings. They do not work for just their own countrymen, relatives, or disciples because when they began on the mahayana path, they took a vow to reach enlightenment for the sake of all beings.

[231] Since there is an inexhaustible number of beings to be liberated from samsara, the form kayas are permanent. However, if the Buddhas didn’t have compassion, this activity would stop at a certain point. Inspired by this compassion, they are constantly helping beings so that they manifest continuously. Fourth, even if the Buddhas were willing to help, if they did not have the power to help, no buddha activity could take place. The Buddhas, however, possess full miraculous powers so that they can help beings in whatever way needed.

[232] The form kayas are perm anent because the Buddhas do not forsake samsara for three reasons. If the Buddhas saw samsara as bad and nirvana as good, they would be inclined to give up samsara and achieve nirvana. This would be an obstacle to the accomplishment of buddha activity to help other beings.

However, they possess perfect knowledge so they understand fhe inseparability of nirvana and samsara and therefore manifest continually in samsara to help beings. The Buddhas also do not forsake the world because they possess the supreme bliss of samadhi. Even though the Buddhas could see the inseparability of samsara and nirvana, if they had to undergo terrible sufferings in samsara, after a time they wouldn’t be able to bear it. However, instead they experience the supreme bliss of meditation (samadhi).

[233] If the Buddhas saw the inseparability of samsara and nirvana but still had karma and obscuration, then from time to time they would experience the suffering of samsara again. This would become an obstacle to their helping beings and would eventually render them powerless. So the third reason that the form kayas are permanent is that since they are not polluted by worldly impurities, they can remain permanently in the world to help beings.

The first of four reasons that the dharmakaya is permanent is that it is immortal. In samsara, one has to experience birth which implies sickness, old age, and death. But in Buddhahood there is no longer any death because the causes of death have been removed. The Buddhas have totally eradicated all obscurations which frees them from karma and therefore places them beyond the reach of death.

[234] Secondly, the nature of dharmakaya is uncreated. From the beginning of time Buddhahood was free from birth, old age, sickness, and death. The Buddhas have realized this uncreated true nature by perceiving it as it is and made it manifest just as it is. This nature is perfectly at peace and beyond all conditioned phenomena. This original uncreatedness of the true nature is manifested in Buddhahood and that is why Buddhahood is permanent.

The third reason is Buddhahood constitutes a permanent refuge for those who are without help. Why is this? Beings are subject to impermanence, suffering, and dangers; but when the ultimate realization is achieved all these characteristics vanish. So the one who embodies freedom from impermanence becomes the protection for all beings who are still subjected to change.

[235] The form kayas do not have the same permanence of nature. As their name indicates they take form and as soon as there is form there is no longer the characteristic of uncreatedness. So they are not permanent in nature and are not free from impermanence. However, the sambhogakaya has the permanence of uninterruptedness because it has the five definite characteristics which it manifests so the buddha field where the sambhogakaya is manifesting can never change. And the sambhogakaya itself never passes away, so it has the permanence of unceasingness.

The nirmanakaya has the permanence of continuity. A Buddha comes and gives his teaching and then passes away, but his or her buddha activity doesn’t stop. This nirmanakaya form will begin in another place so that buddha activity is going on continually.

8. Inconceivability of Enlightenment

[236] Enlightenment is inconceivable for six reasons. First, it is inconceivable because it is ineffable which means that the qualities of enlightenment cannot be described in words. Second, it is the ultimate truth. The Tibetan word for “relative truth” or reality is kunzop. The syllable kun means “all,” and indicates that these objects can be apprehended by all (rather than just extraordinary) beings. The second syllable zop means “false.” Everyone perceives these things in a false way.

Enlightenment consists of the ultimate truth which is the absolute truth or the way things truly are. Third, it is not the object of intellectual investigation because it is beyond the four extremes and eight conceptual fabrications. Fourth, it is beyond comparisons so one cannot find any examples to describe it. Fifth, it is peerless, being the highest possible quality so that one cannot find anything with which to compare it with. Sixth, it is neither conditioned existence nor the peace of the arhats. In more detail:

[237] Enlightenment is inconceivable because it is ineffable. “Ineffable” means that it cannot be expressed in words. Ordinary objects of the relative world, say a pillar or a bowl, one can describe it in words. If an object car be represented by words, it can also be conceived by mind. However, Buddhahood cannot be described by words so it cannot be fully understood by mind. It is ineffable because it is the ultimate truth. All ordinary objects have sound, taste, smell, etc. and can be apprehended by means of names, symbols, and descriptions of existence and so on.

Enlightenment, however, cannot be described in words because it is beyond the four extrem es and eight conceptual fabrications. All one can do is to describe what it is not. Enlightenment is the ultimate truth and it cannot be investigated intellectually. If one wants to investigate an object, one would have to apprehend it intellectually either directly or through deductive reasoning. To investigate intellectually, one has to use reason and to use reason one has to rely on terms of comparison. Since enlightenment is peerless there’s nothing that could be compared to it. And if one cannot make any deductions, one cannot make any inferences about enlightenment because it is not comprised of samsara or nirvana. Therefore there is nothing that could compare to it.

[238] Besides these first six reasons of the inconceiv- ability of Buddhahood there are two specific characteristics of Buddhahood. The specific quality of Buddhahood is that it never abides in samsara or in the selfish peace of the arhats. It is nonabiding because it has no concept of the qualities of nirvana or the defects of samsara. The seventh and eighth reason for the inconceivability of enlightenment, therefore, is nonabiding and having no concept of the faults of samsara.

[239] There are five reasons for the inconceivability of the dharmakaya. The dharmakaya is ineffable, it consists of the ultimate truth, it is not the object of intellectual investigation; it is beyond comparisons; and it is peerless. The dharmakaya therefore is extremely subtle, and being so subtle, it cannot be comprehended by mind, ideas, or concepts. The sixth reason is that it is comprised of neither conditioned existence nor selfish peace. There are two more reasons for this: not dwelling in samsara or nirvana and not having any thought of the defects of samsara. Since the seventh and eighth reasons are not part of the object of the phenomena present in any of these levels of existence, they are also not conceivable by mind.

[240] In summary, the Buddhas have unsurpassable qualities: unsurpassable knowledge of their jnana, unsurpassable compassion which is the power to help. They ate beyond all descriptions so Buddhahood which has been described in terms of eight points up to now is, in fact, beyond all descriptions. The Buddhas are also called the “spontaneously present ones,” meaning Buddhahood is not created by anything else or dependent upon something external. They appear by themselves continually and they realize their own Buddhahood. When these spontaneous present ones reach enlightenment, this is the last point on their journey. They begin with making a resolution to reach Buddhahood for the sake of all beings. When they have reached enlightenment, this is also the final point in terms of refuge and the final goal of every being. So this final point of arrival is inconceivable for all beings. Even for bodhisattvas on the tenth level, it is inconceivable. So it is even more inconceivable for bodhisattvas on lower levels, not to mention ordinary beings./.